Cooking Measurements: What They Really Mean
Cooking is not an exact science but there are some instances that measurements are used to achieve the right taste. Cooking measurements are sometimes exact while other times they can be loose terms that will depend on the concept of the cook.
Some of the more confusing cooking measurements are those that are non-specific. These need to be explained to give the cook a clear idea of just how much the measurement should be. The following are just a few of the cooking measurements that may differ if taken literally.
A Dash
Some cooking measurements call for a dash of pepper or a dash of cinnamon. For those who have no idea of the exact measurement of a dash, they will presumably give the pepper container or cinnamon container a quick dash over the food. If the holes of the container are big, then a lot of the spice can go to your food, while smaller holes will yield less spices. In actuality, a dash measures about ¼ of a teaspoon.
A Pinch
A pinch of salt gives you an impression of you manually getting salt with your fingers and pinching both thumb and forefinger. These kinds of cooking measurements can have different amounts because everybody has different size fingers and different ways of pinching. A pinch is actually just 1/8 of a teaspoon.
A Stick Of Butter
A stick of butter is often called for in baking recipes. Just like the other cooking measurements, this can be confusing and not accurate. In baking, cooking measurements must be accurate to achieve the right taste and rise of the food item. Some supermarkets sell sticks of butter which differ in weight. Therefore, they will most likely have different measurements. A stick of butter is actually ½ cup of butter.
Juices Of A Lemon Or An Orange
These cooking measurements are also among the ones that can confuse you. Since the sizes of both a lemon and an orange can be different from other lemons and oranges, an exact measurement can not be achieved. When the recipe calls for juice of a lemon, this actually means 3 tablespoons while juice of an orange is ½ cup of orange juice.
These are just a few cooking measurements that one needs to know about to be able to meet the standards of the recipe. Cooking measurements are usually important but you can also adjust these according to your preferences and tastes.
